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No. 154. 


HISTORICAL SKETCH 


OF THE 


Woman's Union Missionary Society 





By S. D. DOREMUS 


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N the Spring of 1860, Mrs. Francis B. Mason, a mis- 
sionary from Burmah, made a strong appeal to the “New 
York Female Bible Society” to organize work in heathen 
lands, exclusively for the Christianizing of heathen women. 
She claimed that the opportunity was unique, as the gzenanas 
of India (places for women), barred for centuries to outside 
influence, had been opened for Christian instruction through 
Mrs. Mullens, an English lady. 

As the “New York Female Bible Society’ was local, 
the employment, of Bible readers in heathen lands was 
outside of its province. But the appeal touched the heart 
of one of its members, Mrs. Thomas C. Doremus, who, in 
1834, had listened to the powerful pleadings of Rev. David 
Abeel, for women out of the pale of Christian influence. 
During his missionary service in China, he had realized 
that no heathen nation could be Christianized, unless the 
women who influenced the home and guided the children, 
were in sympathy with the movement. A Society with this 
end in view was then planned, but as missions in this 
country were in their infancy, officers of existing Mission- 
ary Boards deemed the step premature, and the project was 
postponed. 

The appeal of Mrs. Mason led Mrs. Doremus to see the 
possibilities of a new organization, and with the enthusiasm 
which had carried many benevolences to fruition, she 
held preliminary meetings to arouse interest in a new 


1/§3 





Society for the evangelization of heathen women. She 
was elected its first President, a position for which her 
training as a child in foreign missions, her extensive ac- 
quaintance with missionaries of all denominations, and her 
wide experience in varied philanthropies eminently fitted her. 

Mrs. Mason’s efforts in many cities resulted in the forma- 
tion of a band of nine women in Boston, in November, 
1860, and in May, 1861, a Society in Philadelphia, both 
subsequently uniting as Branches with the organization in 
New York. The plans of a Society being completed, it was 
incorporated February, 1861, as the “WomaAn’s UNION MIs- 
SIONARY SOCIETY OF AMERICA FOR HEATHEN LANDs.” Its 
platform was the employment of unmarried women, to 
Christianize heathen women who could not be reached by 
men. All evangelical denominations were to be represented 
in this Society, and its officers were to give voluntary ser- 
vice. Children were organized into Mission Bands, thus 
inaugurating a distinct form of service for the young. 

To realize the stupendous obstacles to be overcome, it is 
necessary to glance at the conditions prevailing a half century 
ago. The departure was radical, as independent organiza- 
tions of women were rare, public confidence must be created 
if financial support was to be secured, especially at a time 
when the country was in the throes of a Civil War, and 
new methods must be developed to overcome prejudice and 
persistent opposition. But the frail bark was launched, 
freighted with the courage of the initiative, perseverance and 





hope, and the motto chosen for its banner was, “O woman, 
great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” A 
periodical was early issued in the interests of this new work, 
called “The Missionary Link,” the object being to dissemi- 
nate facts hitherto unknown or ignored, and to promote in- 
terest in the work. 

In courtesy to Mrs. Mason, who had labored indefatig- 
ably to arouse public sentiment in this direction, Toungoo, 
Burmah, was the field selected for its first mission- 
ary, Miss S. H. Marston, who sailed November, 1861. 
Miss S. J. Higby and Miss S. S. Le Fevre were subse- 
quently sent to the same land. During the first year of 
the Society’s existence, four native Christian Bible women 
were employed in Burmah, India, and China, and aid was 
given to an independent teacher of girls in Japan. 

In July, 1862, Miss H. G. Brittan was sent out as the 
first missionary from America, to the senanas of India, 
where women were literally prisoners of a social custom 
dating from the Mohammedan invasion, 1oo1 A. D. This 
was a field thoroughly unknown to missionary effort in 
America. 

Although the original plan had included single women 
missionaries, to be assigned to denominational fields, this 
was abandoned as inexpedient. A Mission Home, purchased 
in Calcutta, became the centre of activities embracing 
zenana visiting, village, evangelistic work, day schools for 
girls, an Orphanage and Hospital for women and children. 





In 1868, a second home was purchased in Allahabad, a 
sacred city of India; in 1880, a third was secured in Cawn- 
pore, and in 1900, a fourth at Jhansi. Here was estab- 
lished a Hospital known as the Mary S. Ackerman Hoyt 
Memorial. 

This pioneer of woman’s work commended itself to 
missionary wives and mothers in the foreign field, whose 
call for assistance was responded to, as far as a limited 
treasury permitted. 

In 1869, this Society opened a mission in Peking, China, 
but the gift of premises from Mrs. E. C. Bridgman, a 
personal friend of Mrs. Doremus, led to its removal to 
Shanghai in 1881. In this city as one means for the evan- 
gelization of women the “Margaret Williamson Hospital” 
was established in 1884. 

In 1871, the first Girl’s Boarding School in Japan was 
opened in Yokohama by this Society. Subsequently a Bible 
School was added to the Mission equipment, as a training 
place for native evangelists employed throughout the Em- 
pire. The same year an appeal from Greece led to the 
establishment in Athens of a Girls’ School, afterward re- 
moved to Cyprus. The success attending the Missions in 
India, China and Japan led to the concentration of forces in 
these lands, and the abandonment of Burmah and Greece. 

Varied lines of work developed with the golden oppor- 
tunities to win souls for Christ, and each in turn has 
been richly blessed of God, with fruits only eternity will 








reveal. As success proved the importance of woman’s work 
in missions, Women’s Societies were started in connec- 
tion with denominational Boards, and thus was set in motion 
-a mighty power for bringing Christ to the world. 

Although the departure of denominations circumscribed 
the influence and limited the receipts of the Woman’s Union 
Missionary Society, rich blessings still attended it, from don- 
ors who realized that there was a broad field for union work. 
Missionaries of rare ability and consecration have been con- 
nected with its work, who have moulded the varied depart- 
ments of its Mission Stations into blessed influences. 

Three factors called this work into being; unquestioning 
faith, devout prayer, and consecrated personal influence. 
These same elements amid countless discouragements, have 
still power used of God, to carry it on. We believe that no 
development of women in this country has made such strides 
as that promoted by the foreign missionary spirit. 

The immense problem of heathenism and its attendant ills, 
is intensified as the years pass, and population increases. 
Every agency that can ameliorate these conditions is needed 
in this great warfare with sin and Satan. Surely then a 
work honored and blessed of God, as has been that of 
the “Woman’s Union Missionary Society,’ cannot be aban- 
doned in its tide of success. We ask for it a place in the 
forward Christian activities of the day, and the prayers 
of every one who daily utters the petition, “Thy King- 
dom Come.” 





OFFICERS 
Mrs. SAMUEL J. BROADWELL, President. 
Miss S. D. DorEMus, Gen. Corresponding Secretary. 


Miss EvIzABeTH B. STONE, 


Assistant Treasurers. 


Miss MARGARETTA W. HOoLpDeENn, 


The Missionary Linx, monthly, 50 cents a year. 


Mission Room, 67 Bible House, New York City. 





